I'd go for that - use a good can of kills or what it is - the stain or
over paint coat. If you paint the front - paint the back for certain
so moisture will be even if any.

Martin

Martin H. Eastburn
@ home at Lions' Lair with our computer lionslair at consolidated dot net
"Our Republic and the Press will Rise or Fall Together": Joseph Pulitzer
TSRA: Endowed; NRA LOH & Patron Member, Golden Eagle, Patriot's Medal.
NRA Second Amendment Task Force Originator & Charter Founder
IHMSA and NRA Metallic Silhouette maker & member. http://lufkinced.com/

On 7/30/2010 12:21 PM, -MIKE- wrote:
On 7/30/10 11:40 AM, JoeSpareBedroom wrote:
My girlfriend wants to have her grandkids paint a mural on her fence gate.
It's a stockade fence and I think the rough surface will try the kids'
patience. So, I thought about cutting a couple of 4x4 pieces of thin wood,
beveling the edges so rain runs off, priming them, and letting the kids use
those as their "canvasses. A friend at a paint store offered to add vivid
tints to several small batches taken from a gallon of white exterior latex.
Coat the finished masterpieces with polyurethane or something. Attach to
gate. We're already adding a gate roller because it tends to sag a bit. So
extra weight shouldn't be an issue.

Plywood seems like a bad idea for this purpose due to the exposed edges,
even if they're seemingly well protected. I can get 1/4" pieces of pretty
much any common wood. Any suggestions?


They may still make 4x8 sheets of concrete/composite sheathing that
looks like board & batten. It's pretty cheap, lasts forever, and cut
easily. It's also pre-primed and takes paint very well.

I used it on my shed and with the exception of mud splash and some
green-ish growth near the bottom, it looks new. I left it completely
untreated, btw.

I think it would be perfect for your project and could also square up the gate.